This was the first post I created for the Student Ambassador Blog. It was the first one, because I felt very strongly about it. And somewhere between then (June 17, 2013) and Today (November 20, 2013) I have lost my way. I was getting complacent in my comments and critiques to classmates and recently I lost points for not being very thorough in a critique... What I lost those easy free points I was beginning to take for granted? Well needless to say the past couple of weeks my classmates have been getting 3-5 paragraphs of honest, gritty, real critiques from me. Why? Because they deserve the truth (even when it's not pleasant). It's how we grow and evolve as artists. So please read and heed my original blog post below:
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| Guard Inspection |
Good morning fellow students. It's Wednesday and it seems like a good day to talk about critiquing your peers. Many years ago, when I was in the military, I was asked to give a briefing to our Captain as a dry run before briefing the Colonel. When I finished my 15 minutes of talking about our facility the Captain had some words of advice for me. He started out his advice by reminding himself of the phrase 'Nice Boots, You Suck, Nice Boots'.
Put quite simply, this format works very well here at the Art Institute when critiquing your peers.
Step 1 (Nice Boots): Say something positive and specific about your classmate's work. Don't be vague. For example:
"Jane, I really enjoyed the series of images you posted for this assignment. I think the expressions that you captured on the faces of your subjects in images 2, 4, and 7 really tell us a lot about their character."
Step 2 (You Suck): This is where you offer areas of improvement and ask questions to clarify intent. Be nice, but don't be afraid to tell someone where they could do better.
"In images 3, 5, and 6 it seems like your images were a little underexposed. I think if your exposure had been about 2/3 of a stop brighter you would really bring out the colors and the contrast that the rest of your series already has. In these three images the skin tones all seem a little off color as well. Did you do something different with the white balance in these?
Step 3 (Nice Boots): End on a positive note
"Overall I think you have done a really good job on this series of images and with some minor tweaks this set is a knock-out!"
Remember, its through these critiques that we gain valuable, outside perspective on our work.
Works Cited:
Guard Inspection. Encyclopædia Britannica Image Quest. Encyclopædia Britannica,
n.d. Web. 19 November 2013. <http://quest.eb.com/images/115_882269>.
...buy that new whatever for class that I swear I'll never use because I know better.
Welcome to Photography as a career (and even as a hobby)...its going to be a long, bumpy, and expensive ride.
Every class has equipment requirements and the school even recommends specific models of equipment that will meet the needs of the course. That doesn't mean you HAVE to buy that particular brand/model, but it does mean that you should buy something with EQUIVILENT or BETTER features. To be fair it can get expensive. Personally, I have between $15-20K in gear and ancillary equipment (camera, lenses, iMac, software, printers, paper, light meter, hot lights, studio strobes, etc...) That doesn't mean you have to spend the same amount that I have, you can get less expensive equipment and do just fine. But you will need to buy equipment.
Here is my list of things that are expensive, but worth it...
1. Light meter: This is probably the single most used tool (aside from the camera) in my bag. Spend the money, buy one, and learn how to use it. It will be one of the most important things that you can do for your self in your photography career.
2. Printer: Your all-in-one printer/fax/copier/toaster/Keurig Machine is not acceptable. You are training to be a PROFESSIONAL photographer, so buy something that will produce a product that is also professional grade. The school recommends 6+ inkwells or more. I recommend more. You don't have to spend $4000 on a printer, but be prepared to spend $300-400 at least.
3. Strobes: There are many, many options here and while strobes may not be for everyone, they are required if you plan on completing your degree. It is my opinion that this is one area that you should not buy the cheapest thing you can find. Do some research and find something reliable that produces high quality results. The kit you find with 3 strobes for $100 is probably not your best choice, and probably won't be powerful enough to overpower the sun when you need it to
I am sure there are more items I could add to the list, but I think you get the idea. Spend some money today to invest in your tomorrow. Its future, don't short change yourself
Work Cited
Krogemann, Mike. "April." mkphotstudio. Mike Krogemann, n.d. Web. 12 Nov. 2013.
<http://mkphotostudio.smugmug.com/Portraits/Model-Moment/i-ppMqZ78/0/L/
Image_76-L.jpg>.
